The present invention relates generally to integrated component devices, and more specifically to an improved design to prevent electrical coupling between integrated components.
Given the trend of the miniaturization of electronics for devices such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), the use of integrated component devices is increasing. Methods for fabricating integrated component devices are known in the art. One prior art method of fabricating integrated resistors is to deposit, or form, a resistive layer on a silicon substrate and use portions of polysilicon to form resistive elements. Integrated capacitors may be formed by adding conductive and dielectric layers to the substrate. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) type capacitor may be formed by depositing a conductive layer (e.g., aluminum) on the substrate. The conductive layer is followed by a dielectric layer, and another conductive layer, to form integrated capacitors.
FIG. 1 illustrates an integrated component device having resistors and capacitors formed thereon in accordance with the prior art. Integrated device 100, shown in FIG. 1, has a substrate layer 105. The substrate may be silicon, ceramic, glass, or other similar material. Substrate 105 has deposited, or formed, thereon an isolation layer 110. The isolation layer 110 may be formed by oxidizing the surface of the silicon. Polysilicon layer 115 is used to form the resistive elements. Polysilicon layer may be deposited on isolation layer 110 with isolation layer 110 separating the substrate 105 from the polysilicon layer 115. Another isolating layer 120, which may also be silicon dioxide is deposited or formed upon layer 115. Isolating layer 120 separates the resistive component from subsequently formed components. A MIM-type capacitor may be formed by adding a metal layer 125 (e.g., aluminum), an insulating layer 130 (e.g., a dielectric to improve capacitance), and another metal layer 135, which may also be aluminum.
Active components may be fabricated using similar, albeit more involved, methods known in the art.
Typical integrated component devices may contain tens of thousands of components on a die having an area of less than 1 mm square. The components may be fabricated within a micron of each other. Such proximity may cause electrical coupling between capacitors and other components. Coupling may occur between inductors and other components as well. This problem may be addressed by increasing the distance between the components on the die. This physical separation has the drawback of reducing the number of components that may be fabricated on the die thereby increasing cost and system size.
An integrated component device is described. The integrated component device comprises a substrate having a plurality of integrated components formed thereon. The plurality of integrated components including at least one first type of integrated component and at least one second type of integrated component. Integrated within the device is a ground shield to electrically separate the at least one first type of integrated component from the at least one second type of integrated component.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows below.